Course Description and Goals: This course is designed for students who want to build their content skills while applying creative approaches to problem solving and the use of technology. Learning is student-centered, project-based, and driven by open-ended problems. Students work in small collaborative groups to solve problems that integrate the core content areas, fine arts, and technology. Materials:One composition or spiral notebook to use for note takingAssorted colored Post-It notes (3x3 is the best size)Access to a digital cameraStudents will use their own electronic devices in order to share and collaborate on different projects Students will access information and share their work on the class wiki: http://qvmsdesignthinking.wikispaces.com/
The main philosophy for this course rests on the idea of design thinking - an orientation that new, better things are possible and that you and I can make it happen. Engaging students in design thinking means helping them to be aware of the situations around them, to see that they have a role in creating them, and to decide to take action towards a more desirable future. Four principles we hold to in design thinking: 1) Human-centered. We believe that we achieve innovative solutions by getting out and talking to experts and users both to immerse ourselves in the problem and to test our ideas.2) Bias towards action. We act and try rather than sit around and debate.3) Prototype-driven culture. We fail early to succeed sooner. We value a rough and rapid mentality to refine our solutions.4) Mindfulness of process. We know where we are in the process and the direction our project needs to go next to get better. Students are more engaged and achieve greater learning when they have ownership over real world projects in areas that they care about. Tackling huge multidisciplinary design challenges brings relevance to discipline material. Rigorously working in heterogeneous groups to create something meaningful gives students the opportunity to be innovative, creative, and collaborative - skills they will need to thrive in the 21st century. Building creative confidence in kids matters it is about giving them a methodology when they don’t have one. It’s about unleashing the difference one can make. This is about getting to know people for who they are, gaining insights around the challenges they are facing, and working together using creative powers to build brand new solutions for those challenges. It’s about constantly learning from the surrounding world, people, and work. Though all kids are creative, most kids lack creative confidence to approach the challenges they face. This is about changing that.
Attendance and Grading Policy: This course will follow all attendance and grading policies as described in the Fort Bend ISD Middle School Curriculum Guide. Classroom Supplies: Students will be prototyping many of their designs this year. In order to do so we need supplies for the classroom so that they can make their designs. If you have some of these supplies at home or would like to make a donation to the class we would really appreciate the kindness. Supplies we are in need of:
Creativity and Synthesis2012 - 2013 School YearDavid Sebek david.sebek@fortbendisd.com 281-634-3600
Course Description and Goals: This course is designed for students who want to build their content skills while applying creative approaches to problem solving and the use of technology. Learning is student-centered, project-based, and driven by open-ended problems. Students work in small collaborative groups to solve problems that integrate the core content areas, fine arts, and technology.
Materials:One composition or spiral notebook to use for note takingAssorted colored Post-It notes (3x3 is the best size)Access to a digital cameraStudents will use their own electronic devices in order to share and collaborate on different projects
Students will access information and share their work on the class wiki: http://qvmsdesignthinking.wikispaces.com/
The main philosophy for this course rests on the idea of design thinking - an orientation that new, better things are possible and that you and I can make it happen. Engaging students in design thinking means helping them to be aware of the situations around them, to see that they have a role in creating them, and to decide to take action towards a more desirable future.
Four principles we hold to in design thinking:
1) Human-centered. We believe that we achieve innovative solutions by getting out and talking to experts and users both to immerse ourselves in the problem and to test our ideas.2) Bias towards action. We act and try rather than sit around and debate.3) Prototype-driven culture. We fail early to succeed sooner. We value a rough and rapid mentality to refine our solutions.4) Mindfulness of process. We know where we are in the process and the direction our project needs to go next to get better.
Students are more engaged and achieve greater learning when they have ownership over real world projects in areas that they care about. Tackling huge multidisciplinary design challenges brings relevance to discipline material. Rigorously working in heterogeneous groups to create something meaningful gives students the opportunity to be innovative, creative, and collaborative - skills they will need to thrive in the 21st century.
Building creative confidence in kids matters it is about giving them a methodology when they don’t have one. It’s about unleashing the difference one can make. This is about getting to know people for who they are, gaining insights around the challenges they are facing, and working together using creative powers to build brand new solutions for those challenges. It’s about constantly learning from the surrounding world, people, and work. Though all kids are creative, most kids lack creative confidence to approach the challenges they face. This is about changing that.
Attendance and Grading Policy: This course will follow all attendance and grading policies as described in the Fort Bend ISD Middle School Curriculum Guide.
Classroom Supplies:
Students will be prototyping many of their designs this year. In order to do so we need supplies for the classroom so that they can make their designs. If you have some of these supplies at home or would like to make a donation to the class we would really appreciate the kindness.
Supplies we are in need of: